Hidden Secrets
by r2roswell
Summary: SPOILER ALERT- USES A NEW CHARACTER THAT HAS BEEN CAST ON THE SHOW. Takes place shortly after Emma and Neal have come back into each other's lives. There are slight complications though in that they have moved on with their lives. But what does it mean when fate pulls you back despite the life you've made?
1. The Fiance

**Chapter 1: The Fiancé**

* * *

Tamara Jennings brought her hands to her face and rubbed down.

"You have a son," she said to Neal who sat beside her on the couch.

"Yeah," said Neal.

Neal had arrived at Tamara's apartment early that morning. She didn't have to go to work till later and even if she had considering the circumstances she could've called in six which is exactly what she did a minute later realizing it would probably take a lot longer than just an hour to deal with this mess.

"When did you find out?"

"Yesterday," Neal replied.

Tamara stood up and walked away from Neal. She started to pace. "Yesterday and you're just telling me about this now?"

"What was I supposed to do," Neal said raising his voice. "Call you the second I found out."

"I don't know, yes!"

"No! It's hard enough I never knew. I wasn't going to abandon my kid just so I could go make a phone call or leave to tell you."

"Where is he?"

"Back at my apartment."

"You're letting them stay with you!"

"Emma wanted to take Henry back to the hotel but I thought it would be better if they stayed at my place, just for a little while."

"So let me see if I got this straight: Your ex-girlfriend, who you've never spoken of before, just shows up with your kid in tow and so what she expects you all to be this big happy family now?"

Now Neal stood up. "No it's not like that. Emma hates me right now. She hates what I did to her and with good reason."

Tamara had no idea what he was talking about but she would get back to that part later.

"Then why is she here? Why now? I mean god Neal, you can't just spring this on a girl you know, on me."

"I know it's a lot and I am sorry. And the timing does suck but she's here now with my son. Life can't go back to the way it was don't you get it?"

"No I don't Neal. You are playing with words, dancing around them and I have no idea why and you still haven't answered my question: Why is your ex-girlfriend here?"

Neal placed his hands in his pockets, "She owed someone a favor that's all."

"What kind of favor?"

Neal stayed silent.

"Neal what kind of favor," she asked. "You've been cryptic since you got here. What the hell is going on?"

"My father's here all right!" he said yelling at her. "Emma made a deal with him to find me and she did."

"Your father," Tamara said not understanding, "You told me he was dead."

"Yeah well turns out he's still alive after all this time. There's more."

"How much more?"

Neal took a deep breath. He knew this next part was going to be the hardest but he had to get it out. As difficult as the past twenty four hours had been he had to confront this next situation head on. He had kept this part a secret for years but now with Emma back in his life, with his father, or Gold as he was called now, there could be no hiding it. He had to own up to it.

"This world isn't the only one out there."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you believe in magic?"

"Chris Angel, Harry Houdini, that kind of magic?"

"No I'm talking about real magic, none of that illusion crap."

"I don't know, as a kid I did why?"

"Because I've never stopped believing in it," said Neal. "I've run from magic my entire life because of my father. Back where I come from they knew him as Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One."

Tamara let out a laugh, "Rumpelstiltskin, the old dwarf who spun straw into gold."

"Yeah," said Neal, "Only without the dwarf part. And as much as I hate to admit it, I don't even want to; I'm his son, Baelfire. And Emma, my ex, she's the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming."

Tamar burst out laughing. "I'm sorry that's not funny. No actually it is, it is funny."

"You think I'm joking?"

"I don't know. You show up here telling me about how all of these people from your life have come back into it. People that I never knew existed. And now you're telling me of another land where fairytales are real and you and your ex-girlfriend are somehow connected to that. So yeah maybe I do think you're joking because this is all insane.

We've been together for what four years and engaged for a year and now it's like I don't even know who you are. Why even bother trying to make this up? Fairytales don't exist!"

"I am not making this up. I'm telling you the truth."

"Yeah right," she said. "I have tried for years to get you to open up about yourself but everything you've ever told me has all been a lie. How do I know you're not lying right now?"

"I'm being honest here."

"Why now?"

"Emma lied to Henry about me. I don't want you going into this without knowing the truth. I never thought I'd see her again. I never thought I'd see my father. I thought once Emma broke the curse then she would go home and that would be the end of it."

"What curse?"

Neal bit his lip. "Right, you don't know about that part yet. My father enacted a curse to send everyone from my world here. They lost their memories and were oblivious. Emma was the only one who could break it." Neal shook his head, "Now I don't know maybe something went wrong or maybe she jumped through a portal to find me, I don't know but she's here and that complicates things with us," not explaining which 'us' he was referring to. "The point is you deserve to know the truth."

"You could have told me."

"No I couldn't. It's not exactly something you bring up unless you plan to get locked up in a nut house." Neal reached out to her but Tamara backed away. "Tam, you can't tell anyone about this. If people found out where I was from, if people found out about magic- you've seen movies I don't need to tell you what can happen."

Tamara crossed her arms. "Get out."

"Tam-,"

"I mean it Neal get out right now. "

Neal sighed but he complied with what she wanted. Tam closed the door behind him and Neal moved off to the side and leaned his head back against the wall. Neal wanted to hate Emma in this moment but he couldn't. She had been a catalyst to bringing his son and so for that he couldn't fault her but he could place blame in his father. Neal took a deep breath and let his anger toward Gold remain.


	2. New Beginnings

**Chapter 2: New Beginnings**

* * *

Neal arrived home to find Emma leaning against the doorway to his bedroom.

"Hey," he whispered as he walked toward her. He held up a bag. "I got donuts. You still like jelly in them right?"

Emma let out a small but brief smile. "Yeah thanks." Neal placed the bag on the table. "And thanks for letting him sleep in."

"He had a long day, we all did."

"Still we could've gone back to the hotel like I suggested."

"Not an option. You're welcome to stay as long as you want, as long as he wants. I know it's not much space but-,"

"It's fine really. We're kind of used to tight spots aren't we?"

"Are you talking about the two of us or-,"

"Yeah I guess. I mean we did share a car for a while," Emma then turned to a sleeping Henry. "And Henry and I do share a two bedroom apartment with my parents. Those aren't the worst tight spots I've been in."

"What happened Emma, if you broke the curse why didn't you go back?"

Emma turned away from the room and made her way to the couch.

"I don't know. I asked Henry the exact same question."

"He knew?"

"Yeah, he believed in it before I did. He's what got me to Storybrooke in the first place."

"What do you mean he got you to Storybrooke? Did he drag you along on some kind of family road trip or something?"

"I didn't meet Henry until a year ago."

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

Emma stood up and started walking toward the window. She glanced at the dream catcher for a second as she looked out.

"I gave Henry up for adoption."

"You did what?"

Emma turned to Neal, "Hey I was in prison when I found out no thanks to you and when I got out I knew I couldn't raise a kid. He deserved to have his best chance, the same thing my parents did for me."

"The same way I did for you?"

"Don't compare the two!"

"Why not, they are exactly the same. You just can't admit it."

"No I can't because it's bull. You could've gotten me on my path one way or another but you chickened out. You were so busy running from magic, from your father that you didn't want any part of me."

Neal stayed silent. He wanted to refute her but he couldn't because she was exactly right. For more years than he could imagine he had spent his life running from magic, trying to escape and then to find out Emma was part of that world, it was his excuse to bail despite the deep love he had for her.

"That may be true, about me running from magic but I did want you and I wanted you to have your best chance. I couldn't have both. You deserved to be happy, to be with your family."

"I was happy and I had a family," Emma said her voice starting to break, "but you made damn sure that didn't happen. I don't care if you say everything happens by design, you chose to leave me. No one forced you. Hell you could've ignored August but you didn't. And right now, I'm not sure how I can forgive you for that."

"Mom," Henry said standing near the doorway. "Why are you two fighting again?"

Emma let out a small smile, "Hey kid," she said walking toward him. Emma took a deep breath. "What do you say we head back to the hotel and change and then we can go out and get something to eat okay?"

"Can Neal come with us?"

"Henry it won't take long. We'll come back I promise."

"You really promise?"

"Yes. Neal has offered us to stay here with him, if that's what you want."

Henry smiled, "It is."

Emma took a deep breath, "Okay then that's what we'll do then."

She looked up at Neal who smiled at her and then smiled at Henry.

* * *

Taking a taxi cab back to the hotel, the ride had been silent for the most part.

When they made their way into the hotel, Gold was sitting on the couch in the lobby. He stood as he saw Emma and Henry approach. Emma reached into her pocket and pulled out the room key.

"Henry go upstairs and get ready and pack your things okay?"

Henry nodded and looked at gold as he passed him.

"How's my boy," Gold asked when Henry was no longer in hearing range.

"Not a fan of yours. Now I see why." Emma crossed her arms, "You left last night."

"You did what I asked. Your debt has been paid Miss Swan. The rest was up to him."

"You never struck me as one to back down."

Gold looked down, his hands resting on his cane. "Yes well-," Gold changed the subject. "Why didn't you tell me you knew Baelfire? Why didn't you tell me about my relation to your son?"

"It was never your business and up until yesterday I had no idea who Neal was or that you were his grandfather."

"And I'm just supposed to believe that?"

"I don't care what you believe. I knew Neal had his issues with his father but I had no idea it was this. I have to get back to Henry. I'll help you get back to Storybrooke when you're ready but we're done. No more threats to me or my son, no more threats to my family. I got Neal to talk to you. However he chooses to handle that, I'm not responsible for."

* * *

Emma and Henry had spent some time in the hotel room. Henry had all ready showered and now packed his belongings as Emma took her turn. When she emerged she was dressed in fresh clothes and began packing her own things.

"Hey mom, how long are you and Neal gonna stay mad at each other?"

Emma froze what she was doing as she looked at Henry. "I honestly can't say kid. I've been mad at your dad for a very long time. It's not something that I can let go of easily."

"You said he was a bad guy, he doesn't seem like a bad guy to me."

"Maybe he's changed now. I'm not exactly who I was either."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Emma sighed and walked over to the chairs and table that were in the room. She took a seat and Henry took the seat across from her.

"I was a lot different back then. I was only seventeen and had gotten out of the system when I was sixteen. Your dad wasn't the only thief. I was too. I was far from being any kind of hero. One day I was up in Portland, Oregon when I stole a car. That's how I met Neal. He was living in the backseat. He surprised me. We spent a lot of time together, stealing one thing or another, mostly things to get by since we weren't exactly responsible. We fell in love."

"What happened, why did you stop loving each other?"

"Your dad was the one who sent me to jail, Henry. That's why I'm mad at him."

Henry nodded as he began fitting some of the pieces together from Emma's life.

"Did you know who he was? Did you know he was Baelfire?"

Emma took a deep breath, "That I didn't know. And from what he's told me recently, he didn't know who I was either."

"So then destiny brought you two together."

"Now you sound like your father."

Henry shrugged, "Well it makes sense. I mean think about it: you're the savior and the curse was created so that Gold could find his son."

Emma looked at Henry for a moment. Could he really be right about that? Emma brushed off the thoughts.

"That's too technical for me right now kid," she said standing up. "Come on grab your stuff. Let's go meet your dad."

Henry nodded agreeing that this part of their conversation was over.

"Henry, wait a second," Emma said placing a hand on his arm. She knelt down to his level. "I know you're still mad at me and that's okay but I want you to know something. No matter how angry I am at your dad, if you see us fighting, it doesn't change the way I feel about you. I love you more than you know. And despite what Neal put me through back then, the one good thing that came out of that mess was you. I don't want you to ever forget that okay?"

Henry smiled and nodded at Emma.


	3. What Now?

**Chapter 3: What Now?**

* * *

By late evening Henry sat on the steps outside on the terrace with his book. Emma was helping Neal clean up from the take out they had ordered. Overall the day had not been quite so bad.

* * *

Henry and Emma had arrived back at Neal's apartment around 10:30 AM or so. Emma still felt awkward having her belongings with her. She would have much rather have stayed at the hotel but Neal had insisted that she and Henry stay with him and Henry was excited that his father had let him. Any time the boy could spend with Neal and he was happy, happier than Emma had seen him in a while and so she tried to convince herself that this was a good thing.

They had gone to a local bistro for breakfast and after that they had spent a while seeing some of the local sites. One of the first things Henry had asked Neal was if there were any comic book shops.

"You like comics," Neal said.

"Is it a surprise I have a thing for heroes," Henry asked smiling at his mom.

Neal smiled, "Guess not. Then I know the perfect place."

They made their way to Midtown Comics in Time Square. Henry had never seen a comic book shop as big as that one. It was easy to get lost in it for hours, not just because of the two floors but because of all of the merchandising. They truly had everything in it.

Neal let Henry get a few things. Emma was reluctant in him paying but Neal had insisted. Still it bothered her. She knew that all of the spoils couldn't make up for anything. It had been her fault and she took responsibility for that but even though Neal and Henry knew the truth they were still strangers to each other, they all were, her included. She had known him eleven years ago and he had known her but now they knew next to nothing.

* * *

"He's a good kid," Neal said taking a seat next to Emma as they had finished cleaning that evening.

"Yeah he is." Emma took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I lied to you," she shook her head and wasn't sure whether to laugh or remain stoic. "I seem to be doing that a lot lately. I may be bothered by the fact that the truth is out in the open, I may hate you and hate that you left me sitting in jail and pregnant-,"

"Emma had I known I would've-,"

"It doesn't matter now. Earlier when you wondered if something good came from us being together and I said no- for those months I was there I hated you and I hated this thing inside me because it was a constant reminder of you but when Henry was born and I saw him- I may have been his mother for only five minutes but I realized that he wasn't a burden. Something good did come from us being together and it was him."

Neal smiled at Emma's confession but Emma didn't return it. She exhaled and stood up.

"I never wanted this to happen and it's completely turned our lives around."

"Yeah I get that, what's your point?"

"Henry's been through a lot, more than a kid his age should go through."

"I think that can be said for all three of us."

"Yeah well unlike the two of you I don't remember any of it. Look, I just don't want Henry to get hurt okay? We're here now but soon Henry and I are gonna have to head back to Storybrooke. That's where our home is, it's where his grandparents are. Mary Margaret and David have been amazing to him and I'm not going to uproot Henry from that."

"I'm not asking you to."

"I know you're not but I have to ask you. I know I screwed up. I thought lying to Henry was the best thing, maybe the best thing for me but I can't change what happened. What I have to ask is do you want to be a part of Henry's life?"

"What kind of question is that, of course I want to be a part of his life."

"Are you sure," Emma asked, "because we can make a clean break right now. We can leave and forget this all happened."

"What is it with you people, first my father asks me if I want to forget who I am and now you're asking me to forget my son?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that we don't have to disrupt each other's lives any longer. We can move on and that can be the end of it."

Neal stood up. "I don't want it to be the end. I want a chance to get to know my son and I want to be in his life."

"So what do we do?"

"I'm not sure but we can figure it out. I just need some time to figure it out."

"Right," said Emma.

"I need to figure out what I'm going to do, if I'm going to move to Storybrooke, if I'm going to move out. I don't know and there's another personal matter."

"What personal matter?"

This time Neal took a deep breath, "Emma I'm engaged," he said to her.

Emma didn't know what to say. After eleven years of course he had a life beyond her. It's not like she had ever hoped he would wait for her. She never even considered that fact. Other than a two year stint in Tallahassee after she had gotten out which she considered as a momentary setback of a young girl's fantasy, she had never really thought Neal would be in the shadows waiting.

She wouldn't have found out now if he hadn't turned out to be the long lost son Gold had been searching for. For a second the word 'fate' entered her mind but like before she brushed it off. There was no such thing as fate. Gold may have toyed with her to break the curse but beyond that none of it was in his control or anyone else's.

"Oh," said Emma, "That's…that's great."

"Her name is Tamara. She's an artist. I met her at a gallery."

"Where you meet artists," said Emma. "How long have you been together?"

"Four years but we've only been engaged for a year."

Emma smiled, "I'm happy for you."

"You're gonna be okay with this right?"

"Neal it's fine. You moved on, so did I. I don't expect anything from you but since we are back in each other's lives we're gonna have to adjust to that, somehow. The important thing is we put Henry first. I'll do whatever it takes to protect him and keep him safe. At this point I'm just not sure if I need to protect him from you."

"He doesn't need protecting from me Emma. I am not my father I swear. Now that I know the truth I won't ever abandon Henry. I promise."

"I can't trust your promises anymore."

"I get that but let's just try to work things out for Henry. Like you said, he's been through enough maybe the last thing we should be doing right now is causing the boy stress over his parents arguing."

"Fair enough."

"Good so we'll figure this out. When do you leave?"

"Not sure yet, that depends on your father."

"What the old man can't get home on his own?"

"Not unless he plans to threaten people at the airport."

"How typical of him," said Neal.

"And there's the matter of the shawl."

"What about it?"

"It's how he's here Neal. The people of Storybrooke, my family, they can't leave there. If they do their memories get lost. Gold found a way to stop that from happening."

Neal shook his head, "Why does that not surprise me. He says he's here without magic but he still continues to use it. He tries to use it to fix all of his mistakes. He tries to use it on me. Magic is as much a part of him as that damn crutch he leans on. Only difference is the magic is a lot worse."

Emma looked into Neal's eyes. It was the first time she saw him. For a moment she no longer saw the man who had broken her heart, the thief she had fallen in love with. For the first time she saw a man struggling with his past, a man in pain.

"He really did a number on you didn't he?"

"He's the Dark One, Emma. Are you really that surprised?"

"I wish I could say I was but I've seen what Gold is capable of so I'm not but what I do see is a man who is nothing like his father." Neal looked up at Emma surprised by her remark, "I mean that. Maybe Henry having you in his life might not be such a bad thing."

Neal smiled, "Thank you."


	4. Dealing with the 'Now'

**Chapter 4: Dealing with the 'Now'**

* * *

"Shouldn't we go somewhere, I don't know, kid friendly," Emma asked as they stood in front of the bar Neal had taken her to a few days ago.

"It's not just a bar Emma," said Neal, "it's a restaurant too. Best pizza in the area. Come on."

"Fine but I'm paying for half. Spoiling him won't win you any points."

"Deal," Neal said smiling.

Before they could go inside Emma's phone rang. She looked down at the caller ID and then looked at Henry and Neal.

"You two go inside I'll just be a minute."

Henry nodded and he and Neal made their way in.

* * *

Emma answered her phone.

"Hey," said Mary Margaret, "We haven't heard from you in a couple days. Did you tell Henry?"

"Yeah I told him. Neal, Baelfire," she said using his real name for the first time. It felt strange, "Knows too."

"He never knew he had a son?"

"I found out I was pregnant after he left me."

"And you didn't think to track him down? You've spent your whole life finding people."

"I never wanted to find him. I never wanted to see him again."

"Have you at least talked?"

"We've tried."

"Then that's a start right?"

"I guess. It's just a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"I know. We know you Emma, you'll make it work. You did with Henry, you did with us. You can make it work with Gold's son."

Emma brought her fingers to her eyes as if in pain. "Can we please not call him that right now? It's hard enough dealing with him back in my life. Knowing he's from there just makes my head spin. Uh, why couldn't I have just fallen for a regular guy from this world?"

Emma looked up to see some people stare at her as they walked by.

"Because you're not from this world Emma," said Mary Margaret. "Who knows maybe you two met for a reason."

Emma rolled her head back. "You sound like Neal and Henry."

Mary Margaret smiled, "Guess more than optimism runs in the family. If you two hadn't been together Henry wouldn't be here."

Emma conceded. "I know." She took a moment before shaking her head. "How are things in Storybrooke?"

Mary Margaret looked at David. She wanted to share some of the adventures they were getting into but there would be time to catch up later.

"We're managing," she said. "Don't worry about things here. Just worry about yourself and Henry."

"Emma," came a female voice.

Emma looked up to see a fair skinned black woman standing in front of her.

"I'm Tamara."

"I'll have to talk to you later," Emma said into the phone.

"Okay," Mary Margaret replied. "Tell Henry we say hi and that we miss him. We miss both of you."

"I will. Miss you too," she said hanging up and placing the phone in her pocket.

"Neal's fiancé," Emma said to her.

For a moment neither woman said anything. They just looked at each other.

"Wow, this is awkward," said Emma.

Tamara nodded. She then smiled at Emma. "I met your son, Henry. He seems like a nice boy."

"He is," said Emma. Tamara nodded again. "So Neal says you're an artist," Emma said trying badly at small talk.

"Yeah," Tamara replied. "The gallery I work at is only several blocks over stopped by on my lunch break."

"Nice."

The two of them diverted their eyes from one another unsure as to what to do next.

"I know this is weird," said Tamara. "I'm actually headed back to the gallery but maybe later we could go out for drinks," she suggested.

"Oh," said Emma, "I'm not sure. I have to watch Henry, mom thing and all."

"Neal could look after him for a couple hours. He's really a good guy and from what I just saw they seem to be hitting it off."

Emma knew she couldn't get out of this. The entire situation was a mess. Neal was back in her life and she in his. It wasn't easy and it had been far from anything Emma ever planned or dreamed. She had come to New York with one purpose: find Gold's son. When that son turned out to be her ex-boyfriend and the man who fathered her child it only seemed to make matters worse. It became a situation she wasn't ready to handle but was forced to. It wasn't simple the way it had been eleven years ago when it was the two of them against the world. Now instead their two worlds had collided and they were forced to deal with it and the people in their separate worlds.

Emma let out a small smile to Tamara. "I'll talk to Neal. If I know my son he'll be more than happy to have some alone time with him."

"Great," Tamara said starting to sound chipper now that some of the tension was gone. "I'll meet you here at eight?"

"Sounds perfect," Emma replied.

As Tamara began walking away Emma was unsure whether to like her or hate her. It's not that she had any romantic feelings toward Neal she just didn't know how much more extended family her son needed in his life. Fiancé. Soon to be Neal's wife; this would essentially make her Henry's step-mother. How much mother's did the kid need?

Emma shook her head. That would be a whole other set of problems to deal with some other time.

* * *

Once inside Emma found Neal and Henry occupying a table. There was all ready a large pizza and some cokes.

"Did you meet Tamara," Henry asked.

Emma took a seat next to Henry. "I did, she seems nice."

"Are you just saying that," Neal asked.

"It's been eleven years Neal it's not like you need my permission." Emma looked at Henry. "Mary Margaret and David say hi by the way and they miss you."

"I miss them too but I-," Henry said looking down.

"You like being here with your dad," Emma said answering for him.

"Is that a bad thing," Henry asked.

Emma looked at Henry and then at Neal and back again. "No but we are going to have to go back to Storybrooke. That's home for us kid."

Henry continued to look down. "But it's safer here," he said. "We don't have to worry about Cora or Regina."

Emma looked at Neal who had a look of sadness in his eyes. Emma wasn't sure how much Henry had told him but by the look he had clearly told his father about his adoptive mother.

Emma looked at Henry and placed a hand on his arm.

"You're still worried about that hu?"

"Aren't you?"

"Of course I am Henry but you don't have to be. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe."

"What if you can't?"

Emma's heart broke. Losing Henry's trust was bad enough but now it seemed like he was losing faith in her ability as the savior as well.

Emma tried to force a genuine smile, "Listen to me kid, if it's one of the many things I've learned from you it's that our family can do anything. You found me remember? You helped me to believe in the curse, got me to break it and you helped me and Mary Margaret get home. I can protect you. I just need you to trust me as hard as that probably is right now," she said side glancing at Neal.

Henry took a deep breath. "Okay."

Emma smiled, "Good now how about we stop wallowing," Emma said as she went for a slice of pizza and put it on Henry's plate, "And start having fun."

Henry raised his brow as did Neal. "You're gonna try to have fun," said Henry, "With Neal right here? You hate him."

"Thanks kid," Emma and Neal both said at the same time.

Emma smiled at Neal and then looked at Henry, "For you Henry, I'm willing to try if it will make you feel better."

Henry smiled at his mom.

* * *

The trio got back to the apartment around five in the afternoon. It had been a long day, Neal having taken them to some of the main tourist attractions.

Henry now stood on the terrace with his mom's cell phone. Emma had talked to her parents earlier and a few hours later Henry had asked if at the end of the day he could call them too. Emma knew her parents would like that.

Neal stood and watched his boy. The past two and a half days had been amazing. Though being a father was still new to him and would be for a long time, he could not imagine anything greater.

"You sure you didn't raise him yourself," Neal asked as he saw Emma take a seat on the couch.

"It's sometimes easy to forget I didn't," she replied.

"You wouldn't be able to tell," Neal said turning to smile at her. "That talk you had with him at lunch; you were amazing."

"It's harder than it looks. I can't just be his friend like I was last year. My mom and I kind of have that in common."

"How much do your parents know?"

Emma looked at Neal, "You mean about us?" Neal nodded. "Not much. I've only told them that you're Gold's son, and they know that you left and I found out I was pregnant while I was in jail but they don't know the details."

"Are you going to tell them?"

"Eventually," she replied. "Now that you're partially in the picture it's not like I can keep that part of my life hidden any longer."

Neal nodded. "I know what you mean. I told Tamara everything this morning."

"You mean she didn't know?"

"It's not something I talk about either Emma. What we had was great but it's also-,"

"Painful to talk about," Emma said finishing for him.

"Yeah," said Neal.

"Well that explains part of the awkwardness when we talked. Speaking of which I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"

"Name it."

"Tamara wants to meet up in a few hours, just the two of us."

"Uh-oh my fiancé and my-," Neal wasn't sure he wanted to use the word ex-girlfriend. For some reason applying that term to Emma felt off so he phrased it a different way, "the mother of my son meeting alone."

Emma laughed. "I know it sounds bad and I really don't want to but she seems so nice and I figure whatever we're doing we might as well get to know each other again and that also means getting to know the people in our lives."

"No I completely agree. And maybe you two talking will break the ice. She's not exactly on the best terms with me right now."

"Right the lying thing, seems like we're both in the dog house with that one." Emma took a deep breath. "I know I'm asking a lot but do you think you can watch Henry for a while? If not that's okay, I don't have to go."

"No you're going. It's just for a few hours, he'll be fine."

"But will you, you haven't exactly been around him without me since we've been here."

"Emma it'll be okay. When are you meeting her?"

"At eight back at the bar."

"Okay, so you can spend some time with Henry until then and then you girls can talk. Henry and I will be fine."

"I'm going on a lot of blind faith trusting you with him."

"I know. I also know the importance of having some conversations alone. I'll look after him I promise. I'll get him to bed on time, make sure he brushes his teeth, all of that."

Emma nodded. It was a big leap of faith she was taking but sometimes the only way jump into a pool was to do it and not hesitate.

"Okay," she said to him.


	5. Drinks & Conversation

**Chapter 5: Drinks and Conversation**

* * *

Tamara and Emma both stirred their glasses, both nervous about being around each other.

"So when did you find out about Neal," Emma asked being the first one to break the silence.

"Uh, just this morning, you?"

"Yesterday morning after I chased him down."

"And you didn't know who he was when you two were together?"

"Not a clue."

"Did he know about you?"

"As he put it, if he had he wouldn't have gone near me."

Tamara looked at Emma not with hatred but with a genuine sense of curiosity, "But you're from the same world."

Emma looked at Tamara as well. "Yeah," she replied.

"How is that even possible? It doesn't make any sense."

Emma looked at her drink, "I've been asking myself the same question."

Emma avoided telling Tamara about the possibility that it could've been fate or destiny. She was barely starting to get to know the woman and the last thing she needed was for her to freak out over some kind of grand cosmic design, give the woman a reason to doubt her relationship with Neal when she seemed to be struggling with things all ready.

"Look," said Emma. "I didn't come to cause trouble for you or Neal. I came here with a job. I had no idea that the son I would be looking for was Neal. If I had I would've found a way to break off the deal I made with his father."

"You don't sound pleased about that last part."

"Making deals with Rump-," Emma looked around. It was slightly crowded despite the far table that she and Tamara occupied for privacy, "with Gold, is something you don't do lightly. In fact you do what you can to avoid it. I made the deal with him to help out a friend and if you back out the consequences can get messy."

"Guess that makes a little sense as to why Neal never talks about him. And Henry, why bring him?"

Emma knew this question was going to come up one way or another. The two women might have felt slightly threatened but it was best to get most of everything out in the open.

"Things back home are…complicated. I trust his grandparents but I wasn't going to leave Henry alone and make it easy for his adoptive mother to get him back."

"So all of this was just by chance, you didn't plan any of it?"

"No I didn't."

Tamara looked at Emma and truly believed in her sincerity. "Okay," she said with a smile.

* * *

Neal poked his head out the window. "Hey Henry, it's getting cold out why don't you say we call it a night okay?"

Henry nodded and made his way inside.

"Henry, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"You're mom; she said that you were adopted. How did you find Emma?"

"I found her living in Boston a year ago. I showed up at her apartment and told her I was her son." Henry smiled. "You should've seen the look on her face. She was kind freaking out."

"When did you know she was your mom?"

"I guess I kind of always knew," Henry replied. "None of the kids I knew ever moved up grade levels. They always stayed at the same one. It never seemed to bother them for some reason. When I moved to the fourth grade I was placed in Mary Margaret's class, grandma's. She gave me this book," he said placing the book on his lap, "and everything just started to make sense. I stole her credit card and looked her up on the internet."

"You stole her credit card?" Henry only smiled, "Well I guess that's one thing that got passed down from us. Sorry about that Henry."

Henry shrugged. "I didn't just get it from you and mom. Grandma used to steal too."

"Snow White and stealing," Neal said not really believing, "Why doesn't that seem to mix?"

"Look I'll show you."

Henry began flipping the pages and showed Neal the stories in his book.

"Hold up a second," Neal said as he turned forward a few pages.

On the page was Charming holding baby Emma wrapped in her blanket.

"Emma is in here?"

"Of course she is. Mom burned the originals but I guess when the Pinocchio story got put in here whoever did it also replaced the story."

Neal continued to stare at the picture.

* * *

"So how did you and Neal meet?" Emma asked her trying her best to seem interested in her.

"I was putting on a show, nothing big, nothing mainstream. It was just a few paintings and photographs. My boss thought my stuff was finally ready to show to the public so it was kind of my first break. Neal was one of the waiters, he was only doing the job temporarily till he found something more permanent but somehow we just hit it off. How did the two of you meet?"

"Before I answer that how much do you know about his past? I don't mean his other worldly past I mean the one he has here."

"There's not much I can tell you I'm afraid. Neal told me that things were messed up but he never talked about it. I knew he was running from something but he never told me what. And he never told me about you."

"And yet you two managed to fall in love?"

Tamara smiled, "I know, crazy right?"

"I've dealt with crazier trust me." Emma sighed. Tamara had been honest with her now it was her turn. She did avoid eye contact though. "I was seventeen when I met Neal. I actually stole his car," she said not mentioning that Neal had stolen the car before her. "Things just sort of took off from there. It was young love, an infatuation. That was it. What we had wasn't real."

"It must have been real some way. You did have a son with him."

Emma shrugged, "Or sometimes those things just happen."

Tamara studied Emma, "Do you really believe that?"

Emma looked at Tamara as well. "I grew up in this world but I wasn't born here. I've seen the world where I'm from. I've seen magic so I don't know what I believe in anymore."

Tamara laughed.

"What," Emma asked.

"It's strange how you can talk about different worlds and magic as if it's the easiest thing in the world."

"It didn't used to be," Emma answered.

"What changed your mind?"

"Henry, some of the things I've seen. Me."

Tamara only nodded.

"Look," said Emma, "I'm just going to put it out there: I'm not a threat to you or Neal. I've done pretty well without him for eleven years. I told him that Henry and I could go back to Storybrooke and that we could go on with our lives but Neal wants to spend time with Henry and Henry wants to spend time with him. If Henry wants a relationship with his dad I'm not going to stand in the way of that."

"And I wouldn't want to stand in the way of that either," said Tamara, "but just so there's no misunderstanding. I do love Neal and I am marrying him. Just because you're here doesn't change that."

"I don't want it to. What Neal put me through- what I know now, I can't forgive him."

Tamara watched Emma, for the first time feeling a little sympathy toward her. "He left you pretty damaged didn't he?"

It was hard for Tamara to admit that. She had never known Neal's past. She had never known the kind of man he was before they met.

Emma didn't look at Tamara, she couldn't. She took a drink and welcomed the burning sensation as it made her way down her throat.

"You have no idea," she said as she placed the glass back on the table.

* * *

"Neal, can I ask you some questions now?"

"Sure Henry, ask whatever you'd like."

"You're really Baelfire?"

Neal took a deep breath. This was one aspect of his life he and Henry hadn't had a chance to talk about yet.

"Yeah, I am."

"So that would make Mr. Gold my other grandpa." Neal nodded. "How exactly does that work? Gold is like over three hundred years old."

Neal let out a small laugh, "That's a complicated story. The easiest version is that this wasn't the first world I came to. There were other realms and on occasion time works differently."

"And you've been running this whole time?"

"Pretty much."

"Why did you want to get away from your father? Is it because he's a bad man?"

"What makes you think he's bad?"

"I've seen the way he treats other people. He's never hurt me but he's threatened mom and he hurts other people."

"You know he wasn't always a bad man Henry. There was a time when I actually did like him, before the magic, before the power. That's what corrupted him."

"But it's been over a long time."

"There's no time limit on these kinds of things Henry. Either time heals you or it doesn't."

"Do you think you'll be able to forgive him now that he's back?"

"No Henry, I'm not sure that I will."


	6. Taking Care of You

**Chapter 6: Taking Care of You**

* * *

The following day Gold took a deep breath as he held his index finger near the door bells of the apartment. He had given his son an ample amount of time, at least he thought, and now he felt it was time to try again. It didn't matter if Bae had said that he was letting him go, two days had been plenty to let the air settle.

Just as Gold pressed the button to apartment 407 he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Going somewhere crocodile?" Hook said smiling when Gold turned to face him.

Before Gold had a chance to react on or say anything he felt as the metal from Hook's hook stabbed through his chest.

"Now we're even," he said to Gold as he stumbled backward, the hook still holding on in his chest. Hook moved forward with it. "And trust me, I'm doing that boy of yours a favor," he said with a smile. He dug deeper once more, "but I won't be around to watch."

Hook yanked his hook out and Gold did his best not to scream. He then retreated as discreetly as he had appeared, hearing footsteps make their way to the stairs, definitely not a visit he wanted to have.

Emma quickly opened the gate to find Gold leaning against it his hand clutching his chest.

"Forget me," said Gold, "Go after Hook."

Emma looked at Neal and then back at Gold, "Not a chance."

"I'm telling you to go after him, I can wait."

"And I'm telling you I don't do what you want anymore. We're taking care of you."

"We have to get you to a hospital," said Neal.

Gold looked up at Neal surprised by his son's concern. "No, no hospitals."

"But if we don't-," Neal protested.

"No he's right," said Emma.

"You're agreeing with him," Neal said feeling offended that she was siding with his father.

Emma looked up at Neal. "If we take him to a hospital they're gonna end up running all sorts of tests and who knows what they can find in his blood or his cells."

"So what, we just let him die down here in the open?"

"No, we take him upstairs. Help me get him up."

Neal shook his head but he didn't dispute Emma. He grabbed his father's left arm and wrapped it around his shoulder. Emma picked up Gold's cane and helped him with his right side.

Gold looked at Emma, "Thank you," he whispered to her.

"I'm not doing this for you," Emma shot back. "I'm doing this so we don't risk exposure."

"All the same," said Gold.

* * *

As they reached the door to the apartment Henry opened the door for them and Neal and Emma ushered Gold into the apartment gently placing him on the couch.

"How did Captain Hook even leave Storybrooke," Henry asked. Though he was concerned for Gold he also had a dozen questions in his head.

"Cora protected part of the enchanted forest," said Emma, "So some of them weren't affected the way Mary Margaret and David were. Henry, go to the bathroom and get me some towels."

Henry nodded. There was silence until the kids' return. He handed some towels to Emma, one of which was wet.

"This might sting a little," Emma said to Gold as she pressed the towel on his wound. Gold winced in pain. "Sorry."

"You're doing fine," said Gold.

Neal had his arms crossed. "Emma why the hell are you doing this," he asked.

"You think we should let him die," Emma said not looking at Neal, paying more attention to her current patient.

"He's been dead to me for more years than I care to count," said Neal.

"Yeah well he's not dead now, not physically anyways. And like it or not he's still your father." Emma moved her head to the side slightly, "Not to mention Henry's grandfather."

"You still didn't answer my question, why are you helping him?"

"I just answered it."

"No you side stepped it. It doesn't mean anything that he's my father and considering how he threatened you a few days ago and how many other times I've imagined he's threatened you, I'd think you'd hate him at this point. Why are you really helping him?"

Emma took a second towel and matted Gold's head. He was starting to sweat. She then removed the towel from his chest to check his wound. The bleeding seemed to have stopped but for how long she wasn't sure.

"You really want the answer to that?" Emma asked.

"Yeah I do."

Emma looked at Neal and then at Gold. "Sometimes being the savior means saving people you don't want to save."

Neal looked at Emma like he was looking at her for the first time. Gone was her carefree attitude and in place was a strong and independent woman. She had always been so but now she seemed so much more than that. She had a cold exterior but deep down she still cared about people regardless of who they were. His father was the most despicable man in all the realms and here was his ex taking care of him as if he were just like everyone else.

Emma could feel Neal's eyes on her. She didn't want to but she turned anyways.

"What," she asked.

"Nothing," said Neal, "it's just nice to see something's haven't changed."

"Neal, don't."

"Don't what?"

Emma shook her head, "Don't go down memory lane."

Neal gave Emma a look, "So you're allowed to take care of a father I haven't seen in over two centuries but I'm not allowed to bring up our life together?"

"Pretty much yeah," said Emma. "Wait, did you say over two centuries?"

Neal felt like he had been caught.

"Just how old are you?"

"That's kind of complicated," Neal replied.

"Try me," Emma replied. "Is that how you know Hook? You kind of got paralyzed when you heard his voice on the intercom."

Neal took a deep breath. "Let's just say our paths have crossed. This world wasn't exactly the first one I arrived at when I left home."

"No?"

Neal smiled, "If it was I'd be dead by now, either that or a very old man."

Emma looked to the side for a moment trying to let that sink in.

"Cool," Henry said breaking the silence with a smile.

Emma rolled her eyes and smiled at her son. Of course he would find Neal's history interesting.

Henry studied Neal, "So do you have a lot of stories?"

"Yeah Henry, I do," said Neal. "What do you want to know?"

"How did you meet mom?"

Emma's heart skipped a beat. She had just told Neal that she didn't want to go down memory lane but now she wished she had made that statement broader.

"Kid," she said, "maybe we can table those stories for later while we work on getting Gold better okay?"

"Fine," said Henry. He then looked at Gold. "So what exactly do I call you? Do I call you grandpa or Mr. Gold? Do you even have a first name other than Rumpelstiltskin?"

Gold managed out a small smile, "You can call me whatever you like Henry."

Henry nodded as Emma checked the towel and the wound.

"Well the bleeding's stopped," she said to him, "but I can't be sure of the damage."

"It's fine," said Gold.

"It's not fine," Emma said pushing her authority. "Just because the bleeding has stopped doesn't mean he didn't leave any internal damage."

* * *

Before anymore could be said or done, there was a knock on the door. Neal went to go answer it. He opened the door slightly so whoever was on the outside could not see in.

"Tam," he said, "What are you doing here?"

"I've been thinking," she said. "And I thought that we could talk."

Neal looked behind him and Emma did her best to be distracted. He then turned to face Tamara again.

"Yeah now's not really a good time."

"Why because Emma's staying here, yeah you told me that and I don't have a problem with it, really I don't. I mean it's not like you two are gonna get back together or anything so I'm not worried."

"You sound worried," Neal said.

"You're deflecting, are you gonna let me in or not?"

"Like I said now's really not a good time. Maybe we can talk later?"

"Neal what's going on?"

"I just have an unwanted situation that's all."

"One that you can't tell me about? After everything you told me a few days ago you can't tell me what's going on right now?"

"I'm sorry. Look let me just deal with this and when it's over I'll tell you everything. The less you know right now the better, plausible deniability and all that."

Tamara nodded, "You don't trust me. Fine I get it. Call me when you're ready but Neal just so you know, I'm not going anywhere. That's what I wanted to talk about. I love you. You can't get rid of me easily."

Neal nodded, "Me too," was all he said.

Tamara just smiled knowing she wasn't going to be getting the words out of him. That was fine by her for now. She began walking away down the hall and down the stairs.

Neal quickly closed the door.


	7. A Way to Heal

**Chapter 7: A Way to Heal**

* * *

"How much did you hear," Neal asked as he walked back over to the spot he occupied before.

"All of it," Emma replied, "but your life is none of my business."

Henry studied his parents. "Were you two always like this?" he asked flat out.

"Like what?" Emma said pretending to be oblivious as to what he was talking about.

"Did you two always snipe at each other?"

"No," Neal said answering for Emma. "Back then we actually liked each other."

"It was a long time ago, Henry," Emma conceded to his question. "You should rest," Emma said turning her attention to Gold. "There's not much else I can do for you at this point."

"It's too bad you don't have magic," said Henry, "Then you could heal me like you healed my arm."

Emma looked up at her son, "Your arm?"

Henry looked guilty, "David didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what and more importantly why didn't you?"

"I kind of burnt my arm in that red room place. Grandpa Gold healed it so I didn't say anything."

Emma looked at her son with both amusement and confusion. "Looks like I'm not the only one keeping things a secret."

Henry shrugged. It was one thing keeping his burn from his mom but she had lied about his father. To him that seemed a much bigger deal so it was still harder to forgive Emma for that mistake.

Emma got up and went to Neal's small kitchen grabbing a cup from the cupboard and filling it with water. She returned and sat next to Gold, holding his head with one hand while helping him drink it with the other.

"Thank you," said Gold. "You can listen to Bae you know? You don't have to do this."

"I know I don't," Emma answered leaving it at that. There were so many other thoughts in Emma's head; that she was done listening to Neal, that the last time she listened to him things didn't go well but she refrained from saying any of them out loud. Instead she looked up at Neal. "Got a first aid kit?"

"Yeah," said Neal, "under the sink in the bathroom."

"Kid," said Emma.

"No," said Neal, "its okay, I got it."

Neal retreated slowly to his restroom. For a moment he paced. A few days ago he had spent so much energy in talking to his father telling him about his pain and abandonment that he had left him in, telling him how now that he was here he could finally do what he'd been wanting to for years, letting him go. For years he had convinced himself that his father was dead, maybe not in the physical sense but enough to the point where there were times his mind actually believed it.

Now it was starting to feel as if none of that mattered. He was on the other side of the room, possibly dying and all he could think of was how out of all people it was his ex-girlfriend who was trying to save him. Emma could let it slide that he was the worst person in the world, she could let all of his threats and torture slide, all she saw was another person in need of help.

Neal huffed as he reached for the large first aid kit and made his way back to the other room. He handed it to Emma and she began rummaging through it looking for all the gauze she could find. The small amount would have to do.

She began to remove the towel and started packing the gauze as best as she was able.

"There's not much else I can do," Emma said to Gold, "I'm not a doctor."

Gold leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "You've done more than enough."

"We'll let you rest up," Emma said excusing herself so she could go wash up.

* * *

When she returned she found Neal and Henry outside on the deck. Henry was sitting on the steps. She glanced over at Gold. He was still sweating and shaking but that was because of the fever. Emma went to Neal's room and grabbed the comforter off his bed and returned placing it gently on Gold as to not disturb him.

Emma then made her way outside.

"So what now," said Neal, "we just wait for him to die?"

Emma sighed. "Without a hospital, without magic that's all we can do. We have to get him back to Storybrooke but that's nearly as impossible since he's in no condition to fly."

"Thank you, for at least trying?"

Emma looked at him, "Did I miss something? A few minutes ago you wanted me to let him die and now you're thanking me."

"I just forgot how much I missed that- seeing you care about other people."

"It never changed you know." Now Neal looked at Emma. "Shortly after I got out I worked on becoming a bail bonds person. I was able to find people and it gave me access to spend time finding…" Emma was going to say 'you' but given his engagement she thought that was probably inappropriate, "my parents. Caring for people just came naturally. I'd sometimes run down scum bag mothers or fathers and I'd see the pain their kids were put in because if their mistakes. I always got the jobs done but I helped people too. When I moved to Storybrooke that kind of followed."

"How so?"

Henry beamed and spoke up, "She became the sheriff," he said proudly.

Neal smiled and was impressed "So she goes from being on the wrong side of the law to taking the law into her own hands."

Emma looked down at the street. "I wouldn't have been on the wrong side of the law if it hadn't been for you."

"Emma, how many times do I have to apologize for that? I was just trying to help you find your way to your family."

"You know abandonment. You know how hard it is to forgive someone for that. After god knows how many centuries you can't manage to forgive your own father. Do you really expect me to forgive you for turning me in, for leaving?"

"So that wall, it's always going to be there between us now isn't it?"

Emma looked at him sadly, "Who do you think put it up in the first place?" Emma shook her head, "I'm gonna go check on Gold."

* * *

Time passed slowly over the next several hours. Neal had ordered take out since none of them wanted to leave Gold alone in his condition. Conversations were sparse and in between.

Henry helped with the clean up as his mother continued to look after Gold. He was starting to fall in and out of consciousness.

"He's getting worse," Emma said to Neal quietly as the two stood near the window.

"If it was your father what would you do?"

"Neal, you know I can't answer that. Our fathers are completely different."

"Well say you didn't know anything, you didn't know who they were, what their past was like. What would you do?"

Neal's questions weren't far off. Emma remembered back to when the curse was still in effect. David was just a stranger but she had spent a lot of time and energy in trying to save him. The answer was easy.

"I'd find a way to get him better," Emma said with a small smile.

Neal nodded and walked over to Gold, kneeling before him. He looked at the man who was frail and weak. Neal knew the risks of saving him. Letting him die was easier and he was personally better off but that was also the most inhumane thing he could do. For so long Neal had been a coward, running away from magic, from Emma, from his life. This was the first time he could prove that he was nothing like his father. He would not let him die to suit his own needs.

"There's got to be some way we can save you," Neal said to Gold his eyes pleading.

Gold opened his eyes and looked at Bae surprised by his remark.

"There's nothing to be done Baelfire." Gold coughed, "its okay this is what you wanted."

Neal shook his head, "No, not like this." His face grew stern. "I am not you. I'm not gonna let you die just because it's what I want. What can I do?"

"Nothing I'm afraid," said Gold.

An idea came to Emma and her eyes lit up, "Maybe he can't but what if I can?"

"What are you talking about," Neal asked.

"Magic doesn't work in this world but I'm pure magic right?"

Henry's eyes intensified, "Mom?"

"You're what," Neal said not knowing a thing what she meant.

Gold's eyes lit up in a way they hadn't before. "You think you're magic can work?"

"Wait, you have magic," Neal said not wanting to get off that topic.

Emma ignored him, "It's worth a try."

"I don't have to tell you all magic comes with a price," said Gold.

"If it means giving you and your son another chance then it's a price I'll pay."

Emma walked over and took the seat on Gold's right side.

"I don't even know what to do," Emma said now suddenly feeling unsure of herself.

"Yes you do," said Gold. "You've used your power once before. All you have to do is will it and it will come. If you're having second thoughts I understand."

"No, no second thoughts," Emma said.

Gently Emma began to remove the packed gauze. There was some oozing and some blood on it, evidence that Gold was running out of time.

Neal and Henry both watched as Emma placed her hands over Gold's wound closing her eyes. Short waves of blue radiated from Emma's fingers, the round waves getting larger until both her hands were covered. The waves pulsed downward toward the intended target. Gold's heartbeat was getting faster but in her state Emma could feel as the damaged parts of his internal structure began to work themselves out and return as they were before the injury. The power started to weaken and Emma could feel that she was at the last couple layers of skin.

The blue energy recoiled and Emma opened her eyes.

"You did it," Henry said with a big smile.

Neal only stared in awe, "Yeah."

Gold smiled. "Thank you Miss Swan. Guess I owe you a favor."

"Guess so. When the time comes I'll cash it in."

Neal stood up and began pacing. Everything he had known, everything he thought he knew was now starting to spiral. He looked at Emma.

"We need to talk."

Emma stood and turned to face him. She knew something like this was coming. "Yeah I guess we do." Emma turned to her son, "Henry, keep an eye on Gold okay? Just because I healed you doesn't mean you can get up and start walking around."

"Go," said Gold. "I'd imagine you two have a lot to talk about right now."

Emma turned to Neal. "After you," she said to him.

Neal fumed as he made his way outside.


	8. Fate or Coincidence?

**Chapter 8: Fate or Coincidence?**

* * *

For several minutes Neal didn't say anything as he and Emma stood outside on the deck. Emma let him fume for as long as he needed. She thought of what he must be thinking, how freaked out he was. Emma wondered when the last time it had been that he'd seen magic been used. He most likely had been here in this world since he was fourteen so it had to have been over a decade at least.

Neal brought his hands to his lips and then back down.

"What was that!" he finally said.

"You know exactly what that was," said Emma.

"You have magic," Neal said with a deep sigh.

"Yeah," Emma said shrugging it off as if it were no big deal.

Neal shook his head, "So you're just like him."

"I am nothing like your father," Emma shot back. "I was born this way. I didn't go seeking out the power the way he or Cora or Regina did."

"What do you mean you were born like this?"

"Come on Neal, it's not that hard to figure out. True love is the most powerful love there is and I was a result of that. Emma shrugged, "I don't know maybe you were right to leave me like you did."

"I was trying to get you home how many times do I have to tell you that?"

"I don't care what your reasons were. I'm exactly the very thing you were running away from."

"Emma, I didn't mean-,"

Emma looked down. "You know it's kind of ironic isn't it: the boy who was running from magic ran into the most powerful magic of all and had a kid with her."

Neal took a deep breath allowing himself to calm down. "You think it's a coincidence," Neal asked.

"I don't know, you still believe it was fate?"

Neal dug his hands into his pockets. "When you put it the way you just did maybe it was."

Emma shot him a glance and tensed, "I can't believe that."

"Why?"

"Because then it means our story hasn't ended yet and I have to believe it ended the day you walked out otherwise all of this is just too hard."

"Maybe our story hasn't ended," Neal said to her. "You found me remember?"

"Not intentionally," Emma said not liking how personal this conversation had turned.

"Maybe that's the point. Things are different now but isn't it possible to think we belong in each other's lives? Can't you at least believe that?"

Emma wanted to say something. To say that despite all of her anger and resentment she had toward him and despite how long it would take to forgive him that yes she did want him in her life, after all these years she still wanted that at least. Maybe not romantically but she could at least see herself agreeing to some sort of mutuality but she couldn't even force the cliff notes version of all that out of her.

"I have to check on Gold," she said. "If he's doing better we'll check on the earliest flight out of here."

* * *

"And Henry," Neal asked.

"I'm not leaving him here with you."

"I know that but we have to figure out something."

"I won't have him go back and forth. Some parents do that with their kids and that's fine but Storybrooke is home for him, it has been for his entire life and I'm not going to have him uprooted."

"Is there more to it than that?"

"Of course there is, you want to hear me say it?"

"Yeah I do."

"Fine, I don't trust you alone with him. You two just met and leaving him alone with you is not something I'm ready for."

"You left him alone with me last night."

"For several hours," Emma counteracted. "It's different when it's a few days or the weekend or whatever."

"Okay fair enough well how about this: what if I move to Storybrooke?"

"You're serious?"

"What, I could do it. I told you that I wouldn't do to Henry what Gold did to me and I meant it. I'll do whatever I have to for him and if that means leaving then I will. You moved from Boston and it worked for you right?"

"Yeah but Neal I can't ask you to do that. It was easy for me to leave because I didn't have a life in Boston. You have a job and a fiancé. She might not like this."

"Maybe not but we have to put Henry first right?"

"Right," Emma said agreeing with him.

"And you want me in his life at least?"

"Yeah but-,"

"Then it's done. The three of you can leave whenever you're ready even if that's today. I'll take a few days and meet you down there once I get things squared here."

"There's no changing your mind is there?"

"Not when it comes to our son."

Our son. Emma didn't like to admit that she liked the way that sounded.

"Okay," Emma said deciding it was best not to fight him on this any longer. "You should probably be the one to tell Henry. I think he'd like the news if it came from you."

Neal smiled at Emma and she smiled in return.


	9. Return to Storybrooke

**Chapter 9: Return to Storybrooke**

* * *

The group of four stood in the lobby at the airport. Gold had been fully recovered a day before.

"So you're really moving to Storybrooke," Henry asked.

Neal smiled, "That's the plan."

"Is Tamara coming too?"

'Great,' Emma thought, 'Being replaced by the father's fiancé'.

The look on Emma's face didn't go unnoticed by Neal or Gold. Henry though seemed oblivious to it.

"I don't know, maybe," said Neal, "We still need to talk about it."

"At least you're coming," Henry said.

* * *

About fifteen minutes later Emma was standing near the window when Neal came up to her. Henry was nearby playing one of the video games that was in the room.

"You ready to go home," Neal asked.

"Yeah, it will be good to see my parents again."

"So that's worked out for you then?" Neal said feeling slightly proud that he had a hand in it. He wasn't sure Emma would see it that way though so he remained silent.

"Surprisingly it has. I was angry at them at first but that kind of changed once I saw just how much they gave up."

"And you came around to forgiving them. "

"Yeah," said Emma.

"So then there's still a chance you can forgive me."

Emma looked up at him, "Neal-,"

"I'm not saying right away."

"I don't know, I guess we'll see. It's different."

"How so?" Neal asked, "We were trying to give you the kind of life you needed."

Emma smiled sadly at him, "But not the kind of life I wanted, not the kind of life I deserved." She took a deep breath. "The difference between you and them is that I remember what you did to me. I've had flashes of what my parents did but I don't remember directly."

"Emma-,"

"Look we'll just take it a day at a time okay? The fact that you're moving to Storybrooke is a start and I'm grateful for that. I think it will be good for Henry to have you in his life provided you don't eventually wreak it."

"I won't."

"And it will be complicated. There's magic there."

"Are you purposely trying to find excuses to keep me away?"

"No of course not, I just want you to know what you're getting yourself into. It's not…normal by any means but it is for us, it's home."

"Emma you've given me a chance to know my son, I want to be a part of his life completely now so if I have to face my father or magic or whatever else there is to be with him then I will."

Emma looked at Neal. She could see that he meant every word.

She smiled at him, "Okay," she answered just as the announcement was made to start boarding the flight.

"Hey kid," Emma called out, "You good to go?"

Henry grabbed his bag from the floor and walked toward his parents. "Ready," he said.

Neal placed his arm around Henry's shoulder, "I'll see you in a few days okay buddy," he said. "Call me when you get home."

"I will," he replied.

"And Henry," said Neal moving the two of them off to the side and leaning into a whisper which Emma could still hear. "Try not to be too hard on your mom okay? I did hurt her and she was only trying to protect the two of you from that. That's why she lied. She's nothing like your adoptive mom, I promise."

Henry nodded, "I know."

Neal smiled, "Good man."

Gold walked over to the family and smiled at Neal. Emma looked at the two men and took Henry's hand.

"Come on Henry, let's give your dad and grandpa a minute."

The two of them walked away.

"Baelfire," Gold simply said.

Neal just nodded, "I'll see you around pop."

"Bae, please-,"

Neal shook his head, "No don't even try I'm not interested but just so we're clear on one thing if you try to threaten or hurt Emma or Henry or even her parents in any way you'll wish that I had stopped Emma from saving your life."

"No harm will come to them, I give you my word."

"Your word is meaningless. I'll trust it when I see it. The only reason I'm moving to Storybrooke is because of my son. It has nothing to do with you. You should go, don't want to miss your flight."

Gold simply nodded knowing that there would be no more words exchanged between them and so he left; Neal watching as Emma and his son made their way to board the plane. It pained them that they were leaving but he knew he would see his boy soon enough.

* * *

Emma placed some of the bags down as she stood outside of the apartment and fumbled to get her keys. The door was soon opened and she and Henry made their way inside.

"Welcome home," Mary Margaret said coming to hug her daughter and then grandson. David did the same.

"Did you enjoy the trip," David asked Henry.

"It was awesome." Henry turned to Emma, "Mom can I call dad?"

"Kid we just got home," Emma answered feeling a little disappointed that in such a short time he was all ready more anxious to spend time with his father than her.

"But I told him I'd call when we got here," Henry slightly complained.

Emma sighed, "Fine, five minutes but then I want you right back here helping me take some of your stuff upstairs okay?"

"Thanks mom," Henry said smiling making a rush to David and Mary Margaret's room where the main phone was.

"Kid's wasting no time is he," said David when Henry was slightly out of the room.

"He hates me," Emma said.

Mary Margaret placed a hand on Emma's arm, "Now I'm sure that's not true. He'll come around. Kids are resilient that way. Just give him time. How are you holding up?"

Emma walked over and took a seat at the kitchen table, "You mean other than the fact that my ex-boyfriend is the son of Rumpelstiltskin, I'm doing fine."

David and Mary Margaret took a seat at the table as well. "And the entire time you never knew," Mary Margaret asked.

"No, I didn't even know who I was either. I knew Neal had some problems with his father, he said as much but we never got into the specifics- just that he was running from his past and I never knew mine."

David looked at his daughter, "How did you two meet anyways?"

Emma looked down and then up, "I kind of stole his car."

"You stole dad's car," Henry said coming to the dining area. "Neal didn't tell me that."

Emma sighed, "Guess that story was bound to come out eventually. Yeah kid, I did." Emma took a deep breath. "Henry you once asked me if I had anything of your dad's something you could see, something that I could remember him by."

"I know," said Henry, "You lied to me. Was there more to it than that?"

"Just a little bit but not because I didn't want to tell you, I just didn't know how and a lot of times the memories are still kind of difficult. I've tried to make myself forget but with your dad back in the picture that's a little harder than it used to be."

"Guess I should be used to that by now, you wanting to forget."

Emma looked at her parents and then at Henry, "Yeah. Henry I'm sorry. There's just a lot in my past that I'm not particularly proud of. And after everything your dad put me through- it's just really hard to deal with even if the situations have changed."

"I guess. I just don't want you to lie to me anymore. Regina did the same thing and look how badly that turned out."

Emma could feel the sting to his words but she knew her son was right.

"I don't want to lose you too," Henry said his eyes pleading with her.

Emma took Henry's hand. "I promise kid, no more lies okay? The ones from my past, those were the big ones but I swear I've never lied to you about anything else and I won't."

Henry smiled, "So can you tell me how you stole dad's car?"

Mary Margaret was halfway to a standing position, "Maybe we should let you talk."

Emma looked at her mother, "No it's okay. It is time get things out in the open. And since Neal is moving to Storybrooke things about my life are bound to come out eventually."

"He's moving here," said David.

"Not for me," Emma was quick to say, "He's moving here for Henry."

* * *

David just nodded and let Emma begin her story. She told them how the yellow bug out front had originally belonged to Neal. How she had stolen it but that Neal had been the original thief behind it. Emma apologized to Henry saying that being a thief ran in the family. Henry had shrugged it off and found to actually be cool despite the point and lesson Emma was trying to make.

She told them about some of their Bonnie and Clyde adventures as painful as it was to remember especially now that Neal had moved on with his life and had a fiancé.

She told them about the dream catcher that she had found in Neal's apartment, the very one that Henry had seen her hold, the very one Gold had asked about. Emma told them how they had found it in an unoccupied motel room and had decided to keep it.

Emma would occasionally see the look in Mary Margaret's eyes and she could sense that her mother felt terrible. Not so much as with Emma's adventures with Neal but the difficult life she had led with stealing and living out of a car. And Emma hadn't even talked about her time in the foster care system, that was a whole other life all together and one that she wasn't ready to discuss.

"So what happened," Henry asked, "Why did you two break up?"

Emma took a deep breath. She had known they would get to this part of the story eventually but as hard as she tried there was really no preparing herself for it.

Emma had to fight the tears that she could feel were coming. Not being able to face this part of the conversation Emma got up and distracted herself in the kitchen by making some cocoa. She knew that would help calm her down.

"He abandoned me Henry," Emma said to him not being able to look at her son or her parents. "Neal was the one who got me arrested."

"Dad threw you in jail," Henry said sounding surprised.

"Yeah," said Emma. "That's why this is so hard for me kid."

"But he must have had a reason."

This time Emma did look up, "What makes you think that?"

"You don't just walk away from someone you love," Henry said stating the obvious.

Now Emma started to get uncomfortable.

"What makes you think I loved him?"

Mary Margaret laughed, "Please Emma, it's written all over your face. You're not as discreet as you may think."

"Okay can we change the subject," Emma asked. "I think that I've covered just about everything."

"Not everything," said Henry still curious. "Why did Neal leave you?"

Emma sighed. She knew there wasn't going to be a way around this subject. Once Henry's mind got rolling there was usually no stopping it until you satisfied his young curiosity.

"At the time I thought he was being an ass and just needed someone to take the fall for him. That's why I hated him all these years. That's what I always thought. It wasn't until we were in New York that he told me the whole story. That night he left he ran into August. He told him who I was and everything I had to do."

"So let me get this straight," said David, "Your boyfriend-,"

"Ex-boyfriend," Emma corrected harshly.

"Neal," said David, "Got you sent to jail because of some story that he was told."

Henry smiled, "So dad basically saved your life."

"If you call me being sentenced to jail for eleven months then sure," Emma said feeling the hostility rise.

"But if he hadn't," said Henry, "Then who knows where you would've ended up, you might not have gotten to Storybrooke."

* * *

Emma looked at Henry sadly.

Emma had thought of that every day since the moment Neal had abandoned her. She came over and stood in front of her son.

"We would've been together," she said to him. "And I'm sure we could've figured out my whole destiny thing as a family. Henry I found out I was pregnant with you two months into my incarceration. Had Neal not abandoned me, abandoned us, then maybe things would've been different."

Henry nodded, "But what about your parents?"

Emma looked up at Mary Margaret and David and smiled. "I would've found them either way," she said to all three of them.

"You really believe that," Henry asked.

Emma looked down at her son and took his face in her hands, "I do. I always find the people I'm looking for. And finding people we care about runs in our family."

Henry went in and hugged his mom tightly. She hugged him back.

"I'm sorry I've been so mad at you," Henry said.

"Don't worry about it Henry. I would've been mad too."

Henry looked up at her. "So I just have one more question: Do you still love Neal," he asked with a huge smile.

This time Emma could think of nothing to say. She wanted to deny it but she couldn't trust her own poker face. She couldn't love Neal. There was just no way. She was still upset at what he had done despite the circumstances and new evidence that had led to the reasons behind him leaving and not to mention that he had moved on. He had a fiancé. Emma had been involved with married men before, even men who were engaged and those scenarios had never fared well for her.

Emma continued to hold her son in silence not trusting herself to say a word in fear that either that or her facial expressions might give away her hidden thoughts.

* * *

_**Author's Note:** I do apologize for the delay in updates. Lately school has been taking a toll and I've been dealing with some personal matters as well. I have by no means abandoned this story though. I love it and I love where it's headed and trust me it will get even more interesting as time goes. So thanks for being patient and I hope to have your continued support even if RL becomes a problem sometimes. Just please bear with me that's all I ask. Enjoy!_


	10. Just Go

**Chapter 10: Just Go**

* * *

"I got your message," Tamara said walking into Neal's apartment a couple days later.

As she looked up she saw that more than half of Neal's apartment was boxed up.

Neal emerged from his bedroom and could see a stern look on his fiancé's face.

"Neal, what's going on?"

"I'm sorry I hadn't gotten a chance to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"Well it's not like you've been around. I've tried to call you."

"And I needed time, I told you that."

"Not in so many words," said Neal.

"So are you going to tell me what's going on or do I even have to ask?"

Neal placed his hands in his pockets. "I'm moving to Storybrooke."

Tamara just nodded, "God Neal," she said taking a seat on the couch. "Were you even gonna tell me about this or was I supposed to just wake up one morning, come by and find you gone? You did it to Emma right?"

"That is not fair."

"Doesn't make it any less true. Why, why leave?"

"For Henry, he's the only reason I'm doing this."

"Why not just have shared custody? Divorced parents do it all the time."

"We agreed that staying in Storybrooke is what's best for Henry. The kid deserves some kind of normalcy and his life, it's anything but normal. He's got Rumpelstiltskin as his grandfather, the Evil Queen as his adoptive mother, Snow White and Prince Charming as his other grandparents all the while we're living in this world. Henry at least deserves some kind of normal home. It's not fair to him to be sent back and forth between there and here."

"And you were never gonna let me have a say in this were you? You just made up your mind, you and Emma."

"Can we stop bringing Emma into this?"

"No Neal we can't," she said getting agitated from sitting so she moved to another part of the room, "because like it or not you did get her knocked up. It no longer feels like you and me anymore. Now all of a sudden I'm having to share you with a whole other life that I didn't even know about until a few days ago. I mean honestly how did you expect me to handle something like this?"

"Hey, I've wanted to talk to you. I've wanted to work things out but it's difficult when you won't return my calls or e-mails or texts. Whose fault is that?"

"Do not turn this around on me! I am not the one who has lied for the past four years."

"Would you have believed me if I told you where I was from?"

"Probably not but at least then I would've known what I was getting into. And you could've at least told me about Emma."

"It was a long time ago. I tried to make myself forget, I tried to move on."

"And have you, moved on?"

Neal took a step closer to Tamara. "What kind of question is that of course I have," he said to her. "I love you, I want to marry you."

Tamara took a step back, "No you don't," she said shaking her head. "I've always been second best. I'm not the girl you've really wanted, it's Emma."

"What are you talking about?"

* * *

"I thought I could do this Neal, I did but I can't. Who you are, it's amazing. I never believed in other worlds until now but you know what's also amazing- is that in each one of those fairytales once those characters find true love nothing and no one can get in the way of that. You and Emma are from the same world as those characters, she's your true love."

"Emma is-,"

Tamara reached in her pocket and pulled out a small gray velvet box. Neal froze. "I came by a few days ago but you must have all ready taken them to the airport. I was going to leave you a note on your dresser when I found this," she said handing the box to him.

Neal opened it but he didn't need to see what it was that was placed in it having placed it there later that evening the day she found him.

"I don't have to be told, I know its Emma's," said Tamara. "Why else would there be a swan on it if it wasn't meant for her?"

"It doesn't mean anything," said Neal. "I gave this to her a long time ago and she gave it back the day we ran into each other."

"But you still kept it even days after so it does mean something. And the fact that she kept it all these years shows it still meant something to her too. I told Emma that her being around wouldn't change anything. That I do love you and that I want to marry you."

"Okay so what's the problem?"

"The problem is I lied. I saw the way she looked when she talked about you. I can't compete with her."

"There's no competition," said Neal.

"Whether you two want to admit it or not, yes there is. You still love her. And don't tell me you don't because the way you talk about her Neal, I've never seen that look on your face when you talk to me." Tamara took off her engagement ring and placed it in Neal's other free hand. "So go, go to Storybrooke. Go be with your family. It's what you want."

"You don't know what I want," Neal said trying to plead with her.

"Sure I do, I'm just seeing it before you do. Trust me, you'll thank me for this one day. Better now than when we're married and you resent me for the life you should have had. I won't tell anyone the truth about you but this is not the kind of life I want for myself. I don't want to share your heart with someone else. It's just too painful."

Tamara reached up and placed a kiss on Neal's cheek, "Goodbye Neal."


	11. Trying to Be Civil

_**Author's Note:** Hey everyone, I do appologize with the late updates. The past 2 weeks have been pretty tense with personal issues and school. Currently on spring break so I have the time. _

_I love this story and I have no plans in abandoning it. You all have been loyal fans and like me, you deserve to see this one through so I hope despite my "hiatuses" that the story is still as good as you've come to enjoy it to be._

_Just hang in with me a while longer, I promise you I'll complete it :)_

_With that I hope you enjoy chapter 11 and I hope to have a new chapter or two up this week_.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Trying to Be Civil**

* * *

Neal stretched his legs inside the squad car.

"Thanks for coming to pick me up," he said to Emma who sat in the driver's side.

Emma shrugged, "It's not like I had much of a choice since I am the only one who can leave Storybrooke, other than Henry but he's in school."

They continued on in silence for a while.

"So how's Tamara," Emma said trying at a failed attempt at conversation.

Neal looked over at Emma, "I'm moving to your town and you want to talk about Tamara?"

"Or not," said Emma unsure of Neal's tone. "I don't know I just figured that if we're gonna try to make this work I should at least try to take some kind of interest in your life and she is a part of that so…"

Neal sighed, "She's fine I guess."

"You guess, what did you two have a fight or something?"

"Something like that. She's just having a hard time dealing with all of this."

"I think we all are."

"Maybe but it's easier for us."

"How do you figure that," Emma asked.

"We're from the same world so it's more believable."

"But we didn't know that eleven years ago. You might've but I didn't."

"And I didn't know who you were until months after we met," Neal said trying to once again defend his actions.

"But you didn't trust me enough to tell me who you really were."

"Emma it's not that I didn't trust you, I've just tried so hard to forget that part of my life. You can understand that."

"Fair enough," Emma said. "So did you want me to drop you off so you can get a room some place or did you want to get something to eat first?"

"Sure I could go for a bite."

Emma nodded and drove until they got on the main street and arrived at Granny's.

* * *

The downside to living in a small town was that everyone was curious about each other's business. Add in the fact that no strangers ever came to Storybrooke and the stares Emma and Neal got as they walked inside could not be helped.

The two of them found a table in the middle of the room and took a seat.

It didn't take long for Ruby to come up to them.

"On duty right now Sheriff?" she asked.

"Yeah," Emma replied.

"Guess that explains your ward," said Ruby. "One last meal before you lock him up?"

Emma looked at Neal who gave a smug look to Ruby. She then turned her attention to Ruby as well.

"He's not my ward. I was just giving him a lift."

"In your squad car," Ruby asked not buying it.

"What other car is there," Neal asked speaking up since he and Emma had arrived.

Ruby smiled at Neal, "Oh Emma's go this cute little yellow bug that-," Ruby noticed the distasteful look that Emma was giving her. She just shrugged.

"What, it's just a car," she told Emma.

This time Neal turned and looked at Emma.

"I thought you would've sold it by now."

Emma remained silent and looked down. Ruby could sense the discomfort at the table.

"I'll be right back with your cocoa. And for you?"

"Ice tea is fine," said Neal not taking his eyes off Emma. "That's why you picked me up in the cruiser isn't it? You didn't want me to see you still had our car."

Emma shrugged, "Ruby's right, it's just a car. You were bound to see it anyways." She looked up at him, "It's no big deal."

"For not being a big deal it sure is making us both uncomfortable. Why'd you keep it?"

Ruby came over and dropped off the drinks.

"It was convenient," said Emma.

"You could've traded it in."

"You really want to get into this right now?"

"I'm just curious."

"So am I," she shot back, "I saw the dream catcher in your apartment. Why'd you keep that?"

"Thought it would help with the nightmares," said Neal trying to deflect from what he was really thinking.

"Don't give me that. You're engaged and you still have it. Why when you could've just as easily gotten rid of it?"

"Guess we both have our reasons don't we?"

* * *

The door chimed before anymore could be said between them and Emma turned around to see David and Mary Margaret walk in.

David smiled. "This him," David asked.

"Yeah," Emma said as she stood up.

Neal stood up as well and extended his hand to David. "Neal Cassidy."

David went in as if to shake Neal's hand but instead he went for a right hook to Neal's left eye.

"David," Emma and Mary Margaret both said in unison.

"What the hell," said Neal, "Emma who is this guy?"

"I'm her father," said David.

"Is he serious?"

Emma crossed her arms, "Would he have hit you if he wasn't?"

"For what reason did I deserve that?"

Emma looked at Neal, "I can think of several."

"Look," Neal said looking directly at David, "if this is about everything I've done and sending Emma to jail-,"

David and Mary Margaret's eyes widened.

"You sent my daughter to jail," David said raising his voice.

Neal looked at Emma, "You didn't tell him that yet?"

"I've kind of had other things on my mind," Emma said also raising her voice.

"Then that probably wasn't the best first impression I could've made to my…"

Neal was going to say 'ex' but somehow calling Emma by that term felt wrong. In a lot of ways she was more than just an ex-girlfriend, always had been especially now given the recent events of finding out she was the mother of his son.

Neal opted out for words that sounded less messy, "My son's grandparents," Neal said looking down and away from Emma not wanting to see the look in her eyes.

Emma walked over to Neal and took his face in her hands the way she would a child. "You should probably put some ice on that." She released his face. "Your dad's shop is down the street. It's not hard to find."

"And why would I want to know that?" Neal asked.

"Just figured that you would…never mind," Emma said dropping the subject.

"I'm not here for him. I'm here for our son."

Emma had to remember to breathe. She liked the way 'our son' sounded though she wouldn't admit it. "Okay then," she said taking a breath. "Henry's bus gets here around 3:10 in case you want to see him later and there's a bed and breakfast around the block in case you need a place to stay. I have to go. Unlike you, I actually work for a living."

"About that," asked Neal, "How did you go from being a thief to being on the right side of the law?"

"How did you," Emma asked walking out of the diner not waiting for his answer.

Her parents gave Neal one last glance before following their daughter out.


	12. Talking it Out

**Chapter 12: Talking it Out**

* * *

Emma closed her eyes and rubbed them with her left hand, her elbow resting on her desk. To say that the past few days had been stressful were huge understatements. Ever since her trip to New York Emma had felt like there wasn't time to breathe. It had been one surprise after another and no time to let it really sink in.

There was a knock on door in front of her. She looked up to see her parents standing there. Though Emma had known her parents followed her to the office and the three of them had worked well on into the afternoon with no talk of her private life, she had been so distracted within her own mind to acknowledge anything other than some piled up paper work which sat untouched despite trying to work on it. Her mind just wasn't into anything now that she finally had a break to think.

"You okay," David asked.

"Yeah I'm fine," Emma replied.

"No you're not," said Mary Margaret taking a seat in front of Emma. David did the same. "You've been staring at that pile for the past few hours. You know we're always here for you Emma."

Emma shook her head, "I know and I appreciate that, I really do. I just don't really know where to start with all of this. How exactly do you tell your parents how much of a screw up you were? I've told you that back then I wasn't parent material but I wasn't exactly daughter material either."

"Emma," said Mary Margaret.

"No it's true," Emma said not finding fault in herself, not exactly anyways.

Over time she had come to accept what her life had been.

Now though, since she had found her parents, she had always gone the 'what if' path. It was ridiculous and pointless but what adopted kid could stop feelings like that, it wasn't that easy especially when she thought she had buried those notions a long time ago. Now she saw that they had never been buried, they had only been placed to the side.

Emma looked down at some papers trying to distract herself. "But this isn't about my crappy childhood," she said as she looked up, "this is about Neal isn't it?"

"In part," said David, "but this is also about you. Clearly stuff happened in your past. And while your mother and I respect that you can take care of yourself we can also see the pain you're in. We just want to be there for you Emma, if you'll let us."

Emma looked at both her parents, sensing the sincerity in David's words. She took a deep breath, "What do you want to know?"

"How did you and Neal meet," Mary Margaret asked.

Emma bit her lip, "I was seventeen at the time when I kind of stole his car. The car wasn't really his. He had stolen it prior to me stealing it. He was living in it at the time and things sort of just took off from there."

Emma stood up and walked around her desk, leaning her back against the doorway. Her office was starting to feel too stuffy.

"Eventually his own past caught up with him and I willingly offered to help him out. That's when things went south. I got caught stealing watches that Neal had stolen in the first place." She crossed her arms. "Neal was gone. I got sentenced to eleven months, time that should've been his. Two months in I found out I was pregnant with Henry. I never saw Neal again until a few days ago."

Mary Margaret looked at David and then back at her daughter, "Did he tell you why he turned you in?"

Emma leaned her head back. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be angry or cry, maybe both.

"Yeah I found out. I'm not sure I wanted to know, much like I didn't want to know he was Gold's son. Neal said that the reason he turned me in was to help get me home. August found him, told him everything. Neal believes that the two of us being together would've stopped me from breaking the curse." She turned and looked at Mary Margaret, "You asked if I thought about tracking him down. Truth is I did. I spent two years in Tallahassee just hoping he would be there but he wasn't."

"Why Tallahassee," Mary Margaret asked.

Emma gave her mother a sad look for a second before diverting her eyes elsewhere, "That's where we had planned to start our life together. We hadn't talked about kids or anything like that but we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. We had found a map inside this hotel room that we snuck into. Close your eyes and point," Emma said repeating Neal's exact words. "When I opened my eyes my finger was pointing on Tallahassee."

Emma shrugged trying to rid herself of the memory. She scolded herself for letting herself get too deep into it, too lost. She was supposed to be angry at Neal. It felt like it was too soon to forgive him. She kept telling herself that the only reason she was tolerating him now was because of Henry.

Mary Margaret stood up and smiled at Emma. "You still love him don't you?"

Emma quickly turned and looked at Mary Margaret caught off guard by her question.

"What kind of question is that?" Emma asked.

"An honest one," said Mary Margaret.

"And I know that look," David added, "It's the same look I've seen on your mother's face."

Emma cringed not really wanting to know about her parents' love life. She walked out of the office needing some space.

"Please, I do not love Neal." Emma looked down, "I can't."

"Why not," said Mary Margaret.

Emma turned to look at her parents grateful that she was standing several feet away. "Do you really want me to go through the list of reasons?"

"It might help," her mother told her.

"Fine," Emma said hating herself for conceding. Mary Margaret always had a way to get some form of truth out of her even before the curse had been broken. "First off I'm still angry at what he did to me."

"Even though it was to save us," said David.

Guilt trip.

"I didn't mean…I just… I think that if all of this is fate and destiny and pre-planned or whatever then I would've found a way regardless. Neal didn't have to send me to jail so I could get my life straight. Second: in all the time we spent together not once did he trust me enough to tell me the truth about himself. Third: It's been eleven years. After I left Tallahassee I gave up on him completely."

Mary Margaret slightly smiled at her daughter, "But he's here now isn't he?"

"Which leads me to my final point," said Emma. "We've both moved on. He's engaged."

David took a step closer to Emma, "That didn't stop me or your mother. I was engaged to Katherine but Mary Margaret and I did find our way."

Emma shook her head, "This isn't the enchanted forest. Love isn't easy for some of us the way it is in your world."

"Maybe not in this world," said David, "but you're not from here and neither is he. Maybe the two of you are meant for each other."

Mary Margaret also took a step forward closer to Emma. "That love you two shared, it was powerful enough to create a child when you didn't expect it."

Emma crossed her arms and looked away. "I got knocked up, it happens, doesn't mean anything."

"Now I know you don't believe that. Henry's one of the best things to happen to you. And I think the reason this is so hard for you is because you're not being honest with how you really feel. If it was easy you wouldn't be struggling like you are now."

"How I feel about Neal doesn't matter."

* * *

"Why not?"

Emma looked behind her parents to see Neal standing near her office. Her parents had turned to look at him.

"How long have you been standing there," Emma asked him, her rage starting to boil beneath the surface.

"Long enough to hear the tail end of your dad's conversation," said Neal.

Emma placed her hands on her hips, "Great."

"Well are we going to talk about this," Neal asked.

"No," Emma replied, "I'm going to get some air," she said as she headed straight for her office and grabbed her jacket and keys. "Henry should be out of school by now."

"He's home actually," said Neal. Emma turned to look at him. "I picked him up from the school bus and walked him."

"You didn't have to do that," said Emma.

Neal smiled, "That's why I'm here."

"I'm sure he appreciates that."

"Do you?"

"Goodbye Neal."

Emma made a straight away for her office door.

"I'll see you in a few hours for dinner," Neal called out.

Emma froze and turned to look at him. "Wait what?"

"Henry invited me over, it being my first night here in town and everything."

"Of course he did," Emma replied and slightly annoyed.

"This isn't going to be a problem is it?" Neal asked.

"Actually," said Emma but before she could get a word in Mary Margaret stepped forward.

"It's no problem at all," she said to Neal. "We haven't officially met, I'm Mary Margaret. You've all ready met my husband David."

Neal shook both their hands, "That's one meeting I won't be forgetting any time soon. You know how to make an impression much like your daughter."

"You can drop the act Neal," said Emma.

"What act," Neal said to her. "You did make an impression on me when we first met."

"Why do you even care," Emma asked her tone turning sour. "It's not like those memories mean anything anymore." She shook her head. "I really need that walk," she said leaving the room.


	13. Leaked Revelations

**Chapter 13: Leaked Revelations**

* * *

Mary Margaret looked at Emma with curiosity in her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure that celery is chopped unless you want to add them as dust particles to the salad."

Emma looked down at the cutting board to see how thin she had sliced the celery sticks.

"Hey, it's going to be okay."

"Are you sure about that," asked Emma, "because I'm not."

"Well hey you managed to make it through staying a couple nights at Neal's apartment. This is just dinner."

"Then why does it feel so much formal than that?"

"Maybe because of how you feel about him." Mary Margaret saw her daughter shrug off that comment, "And it's not like he's going to stay here with us."

"Actually he is," Henry said coming down the stairs.

Emma dropped her knife on the counter. "What?"

"Yeah," said Henry, "When I invited him for dinner I thought I'd invite him to stay with us for a little while."

Emma's head was spinning. She didn't know what question to ask first.

"Wha…why…why would you do that?" Emma asked her very coy son. "I told Neal that there was a bed and breakfast in town."

Henry took a seat at the counter top. "I know, I just thought it might be fun since he did let us stay with him for a while. I thought he might like to stay with us."

"And you didn't think to run it by me first," Emma said crossing her arms.

"I didn't think you'd mind," Henry said as if inviting his father was really no big deal.

It really was though. It was one thing to share a single bedroom apartment with three people but a whole other to share a two bedroom with five. Okay so maybe it wasn't as bad as it sounded but Emma had been ready to have Neal keep some distance. She had to retreat to her office to escape but even that hadn't been enough since he caught the tail end of a very awkward conversation between herself and her parents.

"Of course why wouldn't I mind," Emma said some sarcasm slipping in, "It's not like I'm not still angry with him. It's not like I'm struggling with the fact that the man came back into my life after eleven years and oh yeah it's not like he sent me to jail or anything!"

Henry looked at his mom. This was so unlike her. It was a different change. Henry wasn't sure whether to like it or be amused by it.

"Are you still in love with dad?"

"Henry," said Mary Margaret.

Emma looked down. "I am not in love with Neal."

"Yes you are," Henry said as if it were fact. "You have the same look on your face that Mary Margaret has when she talks about David. I'm eleven but I'm not stupid. I do know what love looks like."

Emma looked up at her son, this time clearly amused by him. "A little too much I think. Now come on kid, let's drop this subject and go set the table."

"Fine," said Henry taking some plates from the counter.

It only took a couple minutes but by then there was a knock on the door. It opened right away.

"Look who I found walking down the street," David said as he and Neal entered.

Henry smiled at both his grandpa and his dad.

"You came," Henry said.

Neal walked over to Henry and placed a hand on his boy's shoulder. "Of course I did. You didn't doubt me did you?"

"No," said Henry.

"Good," Neal said to his son. He looked up and nodded, "Emma."

Emma nodded back, "Neal."

* * *

The rest of the evening was spent at the dinner table and making small talk. Emma had tried to act interested but it was hard when she knew that Neal wouldn't be going to find a place of his own for the night.

The five of them now sat with cups of hot cocoa in front of them. Neal and David were the only ones without the cinnamon and whipped cream, preferring theirs plain.

"Emma I'm curious," said Neal, "You never did tell me how you turned your life around."

"Sure I did," Emma said. "At your apartment remember."

"Right the bail bonds man thing," said Neal.

"Bail bonds person," Emma corrected.

"Right," said Neal. "Still you could've gotten into anything. Hell you could've continued stealing."

"And risk getting thrown back in prison, no thanks."

"So what I did helped," Neal said with a smile.

"Helped how? None of it would have happened if you had just stuck around."

"Exactly," Neal shot back. "If I hadn't done what I did we wouldn't be here right now."

"Maybe we would."

"No," Neal said, "We wouldn't."

Emma bit her lip and nodded, "That's right because you didn't care about me, all you cared about was running away from magic."

"Hey, I'm here now. I'm past all that."

"Really," asked Emma, "because in the past few days you've really had a hard time with all of this. Hell you compared me to your father just because I was magical."

"Emma I didn't mean it."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"How did you get your life together?"

Neal looked away from Emma, "I didn't want to go through what I put you through. I thought I could do better."

"We could've done better together. It's what we planned remember?"

"Yeah I remember."

Emma shook her head and saw the few looks she was getting from her parents and Henry. "It doesn't matter now I guess. So um…so how's Tamara? Will she be coming to Storybrooke soon?"

Henry took a sip of his hot chocolate. "Tamara's never coming," he said casually.

"What does he mean by that," Emma asked Neal.

It was Henry who answered, "Neal's not getting married. She broke up with him."

Emma and Neal looked at Henry and then back at each other.

"I was going to tell you," said Neal.

Emma placed her napkin on the table. She could feel her emotions start to get the best of her and though she felt like she was somehow abandoning Henry, she needed to escape. She needed to breathe again since the words and the room felt like they were suffocating her.

"I need some air," she said her voice slightly breaking.

She didn't wait for an answer. Instead she grabbed her red jacket that had been hanging on the coat rack for months. She hadn't worn the jacket in a long while but right now she needed her armor. She opened the door and took off.

"Emma," Neal called out as he stood up. "Emma wait," he said to her.

Neal didn't wait on anyone else either. The only thing that mattered to him at the moment was finding Emma and talking to her.


	14. This Emotional Release

**Chapter 14: This Emotional Release**

* * *

"This is low, even for you," Emma said knowing Neal was right behind her. "What were you thinking: that you could just give up your entire life in New York and expect to come back and we could all be one big happy family because I'll tell you one thing right now, it's not gonna happen."

Neal stood to Emma's right. "No it wasn't like that?"

"Really because that's how it seems."

"Yeah from your perspective but it's not the truth."

"Then what is it Neal because I am really having a hard time here."

"Look, Tamara was at my apartment when I got back from taking you to the airport. We talked and things didn't go exactly as planned. She was the one who called things off."

"Then if you love her fight for her."

"I can't do that, she won't believe me."

Emma stopped walking, "Why not?" Neal looked at Emma unable to find the right words. It wasn't hard for her to figure out, "Oh," Emma said in a whisper.

"What 'oh'?"

"She doesn't think that…she doesn't think that you and me… that we…"

Neal placed his hands in his pockets. "That's exactly what she thinks."

"Then fight for her Neal, convince her that there's nothing going on."

"I've tried, she won't hear it."

"Then try harder."

"There's no point."

"Why?"

"Because she's right."

Emma froze. Those were the last words she wanted to hear right now.

"Then convince her she's wrong," Emma said to him.

"I can't do that because then I'd be living a lie. I've all ready done enough of that all ready." Neal took a step forward. "Look I didn't come here with plans or notions that we could be an instant family. I know it doesn't work that way but Tamara was right, she always was second best."

"Don't say that. You love her. You were with her for four years and were going to marry her."

"And what kind of life would that have been when what I really wanted was you? Tamara found something and she was right, I do still love you. I always have."

"Neal, don't," Emma said looking up at him. "We can't do this. It's just not possible."

"Why not because you're still angry with me?"

"That's exactly why," she said raising her voice, "And I mean come on Neal you're on the rebound so you're looking for something to fill that void. I won't be that other girl you run to."

"You've never been the other girl. You've always been the girl. And I know you've always felt it too. Why did you become a bail bonds person, really?"

"This isn't about me."

"Just answer the question."

"I was good at finding people," said Emma.

"It's more than that. You know what I think, I think you became a bail bonds person not just to find people, to find your parents but to find me too."

"You are dead wrong."

"Really, then why can't you say that without looking at me? I know you spent two years in Tallahassee."

"What did my parents tell you that? Did you overhear our conversation?"

"No, I was there Emma."

Emma took a deep breath and began walking again. Neal followed, "You're unbelievable! You were close to me this whole time and you did nothing about it!"

"I was conflicted Emma, about a lot of things. I didn't care who you were, I wanted to be with you but I was too much of a coward like my father and August told me not to reach out so I didn't. I thought you could find your way without me."

"I didn't want to find my way without you don't you get that! I wanted to be with you more than anything. I hate you for what you did. I want to forgive you but I don't know if I can and what makes this even worse is that I…"

"That you what?"

"Nothing."

* * *

Neal stopped and took hold of Emma's arm gently to stop her and get her to face him.

"You still love me don't you?" he said with that smile that Emma could never really resist though she was trying so hard to right now. "You love me like I love you."

"I can't."

Neal smiled again. "But you do. And why else would we have kept our keepsakes if they didn't mean anything after all these years. You with the car and keychain, me with the dream catcher. They've always meant more than what we allowed ourselves."

"You may be right but I'm still angry at you."

"I know, hopefully some day you won't be," he said taking a step closer to her.

"Neal-," Emma said, getting only that far.

Neal had gently placed his lips on top of Emma's. It was soft at first but then Emma found herself going much harder than she had planned, forcing herself on him. It was a longing that for nearly a decade she had tried to ignore but with his lip on top of hers she no longer could. It felt just as it had so many years ago. She could feel a fire rush deep within her.

Emma could sense Neal feeling the same thing and he was. Neal had longed for this moment for eleven years. Though the only woman he had been with was Tamara, nothing felt as perfect as this moment now. It went beyond perfection, beyond feeling right. For the first time since meeting Emma he felt like he was truly home again. Emma was his home, always had been and kissing her the way he was felt like he had returned.

Neal knew from this moment on he was never going anywhere again. Fate or destiny could pull them apart all it wanted but he was never abandoning her. Let it try.

The two pulled back for some air. Neal smiled at Emma, taking her face in his hands. This time Emma smiled back.

It amazed her at how less than five minutes ago she could go from being angry and betrayed and unforgiving to the complete opposite. That was life though. No emotions stayed the same from one minute to a next. They were always changing and in some cases, like now, for the better.

Emma leaned into Neal, still smiling, her lips coming closer to his.

"I love you," she said to him.

"I love you too," said Neal, "sorry it took so long?"

"What's eleven years compared to twenty eight," she said referencing the length of time it had taken her parents to be together again.

"Or close to three hundred years without love."

Emma couldn't help but let out a little laugh. That was one of the hard things to remember about Neal.

She placed a hand on his chest, "Stop talking," she said her face getting closer to his.

As their lips lingered on each other Emma began to get a set of flashes. In them she saw Neal as an infant in Gold's arms, she saw him as a young boy, she saw the fear on his face when Gold had become the Dark One. There were a few other memories that were blurred but things really began to focus when she saw from Neal's perspective the day they met in the stolen car, she saw some of their memories together but the one that really stood out was when they had made love to each other that day in the motel room. It had been the best night of her life and unbeknownst to her at the time it had been the day Henry had been conceived.

As they kissed Neal too began getting a set of flashes. He saw the moment Emma was born, her being held in her mother's arms as they looked on with sadness, he saw the fight that had occurred as Prince Charming got his daughter to safety and placed her in the wardrobe to send her some place safe. He saw bits and pieces of Emma's life growing up in the system but things really began to become clear when he saw from her side of things the day they first met and several other memories. The one that stood out the most was the day they made love. That moment was so beautiful because though they had been honest about being with other people before none had meant as much as the relationship and the love they made with each other.

Though they felt like they could go on like this for hours the two of them pulled back. A look of awe in both their eyes.

"Did you see that?" Neal asked.

"What, what did you see?" Emma asked really wanting to know.

"You," he replied, "Your memories."

"I saw you too," Emma admitted.

Neal again took Emma's face in his hands. "I may hate my father for a lot of things but there is one thing I have to thank him for."

"What's that?"

"If it hadn't been for me or the curse we never would have met."

"Do you believe in true love," Emma asked him.

"I don't know, do you?"

Emma smiled, "Yeah I think I do. That was true love's kiss. I know that now." Neal smiled, "But we still have a lot to work through just so you know. Whatever this was or is-,"

"We'll figure it out. Together. I'm done losing you Emma, I love you."

"I love you too Neal."

They smiled at each other once more and continued to kiss well into the night.

* * *

**~END~**


	15. Deleted Scene: The Velvet Box

_Author's Note: This scene takes place the morning when Neal takes Emma, Henry, and Gold to the airport._

* * *

**Deleted Scene: The Velvet Box**

* * *

Tamara took a deep breath and knocked on the door of Neal's apartment. Not getting an answer she took out the key that was dangling from her own set of keys. Neal had given her a key over a year ago.

She had not talked to Neal in a few days since he told her the truth about everything. She had just needed some time to figure things out and now she felt ready to finally talk things through.

She made her way into his apartment. There was no sign that anyone had been here except for Neal. Tamara wondered if they were gone on a day venture or if the day had finally come when Neal's past was headed back to the town they came from.

Tamara made her way to the bedroom and pulled out a letter. Sure she could've called or texted him but there was something fun about an old school kind of letter.

On the dresser sitting in the very center was a small gray velvet box. Tamara smiled to herself. It was just like Neal to sometimes surprise her. As she opened it a look of confusion crossed her face.

Tucked neatly inside was a round swan pendant dangling from a thin chain.

At first it didn't make sense. Neal had known that swans weren't her favorite animals. She had always been fonder of sea turtles. And then it clicked.

Swan.

It wasn't for her at all.

Emma Swan.


End file.
